


Game, Set, and Match

by paintpastelprincess



Category: Naruto
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Gen, I also can't stop watching Haikyuu, I love SS so much, Slow Burn, So here we are, i hope this shit is good
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 13:57:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20967680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintpastelprincess/pseuds/paintpastelprincess
Summary: The one where Sakura believes her volleyball days are behind her until an incredibly gorgeous setter tosses her the ball just right.





	Game, Set, and Match

**Author's Note:**

> “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” - C.S. Lewis

**Land of Fire High School Girl's Volleyball National Tournament**

**Quarterfinal Match: Konoha Academy v. Hokage High**

Sakura Haruno doesn’t think she’s ever been more scared in her entire life. As she walks out onto the court with her teammates, she takes a deep breath to calm her nerves. It’s incredible their team has made it this far considering their lack of skill and experience yet, somehow this ragtag group of girls has survived and made it not only to Nationals, but to the Quarterfinals.

Her team lines up at the end line. Standing in front of them, on the other side of the net is Konoha Academy, one of the premiere volleyball high schools in the country. Their uniforms, forest green tops and navy bottoms, look more like military fatigues than volleyball jerseys. She continues to walk forward, ready to shake hands with opposing team’s captain.

Ino Yamanaka is the most intimidating girl she’s ever known. Ino stands at a solid 5’8” but her confidence and demeanor add at least another 2 inches. Her platinum blonde hair is pulled into a high ponytail, with a few strands framing the right side of her face. Her blue eyes never seem to look at Sakura but _through _her. It’s unfair Ino is so strikingly beautiful and so dominate on the court. Nonetheless, Sakura maintains her cool composure, she won’t let Ino rattle her. She’d die before she lets that happen.

Ino sticks her hand out to shake Sakura’s, “Wow Forehead, I’m amazed you and that group of dunces behind you even found your way to the gym.”

Sakura grabs Ino’s hand far too hard to be considered friendly, “Screw you, Pig.” Sakura doesn’t care about trash talk, she’s here to play volleyball.

She walks back and joins her team.

“Thank you for the game!” the two schools shout and bow.

Hokage High huddles around their captain one last time before the start of the match.

“Ok, listen up team,” Sakura starts, “The fact that we’ve made it this far is a testament not only to our skill but, to our teamwork! Konoha Academy may be good, but skill isn’t the most important thing. It’s about not giving up, giving it your all, and keeping the ball in play! You’ve come to every practice, you’ve done every drill, you’ve run every lap. Have confidence in what you’ve learned and what you’ve accomplished! Shannaro!” She finishes her speech punching toward the ceiling of the gymnasium.

The girls circle up and place their hands one on top of each other in the center.

“Hokage High!” Sakura shouts.

“Fight!” The team responds.

“Hokage High!

“Fight!”

“HOKAGE HIGH!”

“FIGHT!” The team throws their arms up and the starters make their way to their positions.

Sakura grabs Kyoki Naka, their setter and the only other third year on the team, by her elbow. “This may be our last game, and if it is that’s ok. You’ve done incredible. You should be proud.”

Kyoki looks down, cheeks flushed, “You’re the incredible one, Haruno-San.”

“I’m only as good as my team, Naka. Now, let’s kick some ass!” Sakura runs up to the net and gets in position as Konoha gets ready to serve.

The referee blows his whistle and the match has officially started.

*** 

Sakura finds herself standing across from Ino the entire first set. Sakura should have expected it by now. When Ino and her played together in middle school they always went head to head, each desperate to be the team’s ace. Did she really expect Ino to get less competitive in high school?

Each time either goes to the net the other is there to block it. Everywhere Sakura looks it’s Ino, Ino, Ino. She’s there, with her cold eyes and that cocky smirk, smacking down all of Sakura’s spikes. Eventually, Kyoki stops setting to Sakura all together and begins tossing to Mei and Sumire, the other two spikers on the team.

None of that deters Ino however, who knows that leaving Sakura open is a death wish. Although Sakura stands at a modest 5’3” her arms pack an amazing punch. Ino’s unsure how such a small frame can deliver a spike with so much strength but, she doesn’t have time to question it. If Sakura gets into a rhythm it’s over for them, it’s what lead Hokage High to the Quaterfinals, and it may lead them to the Semis. But even with Sakura covered Hokage High is doing surprisingly well. On offense, Kyoki delivers the perfect toss to Mei or Sumire and on defense, their receives are precise and controlled. Ino finds the whole thing incredibly troublesome.

Kyoki gets a particularly nice bump from a defender and takes a chance setting it to Sakura. Sakura jumps, reels her arm back and slams the ball with so much force it slips right through Ino’s hands as she attempts to block it.

_That’s one of the more frustrating things about Sakura, _Ino thinks_, if she can’t go around you, she’ll go through you_. The score is even at 20-20.

“Time out!” Konoha Academy’s coach shouts.

The team huddles around their coach as Ino gets a drink. There’s something about this match that is just really pissing her off and she can’t quite put her finger on it. The team they’re playing isn’t even that good, but Konoha Academy is struggling against them. Every attack they make is safe and predictable, but it’s executed so well it’s nearly impossible to defend. Hokage High is doing everything by the book and is exceling. The team is so meticulous and calculated it’s _so obviously_ Sakura’s doing… Is that why Ino is mad? Because Sakura has spent her three years of high school molding these nobodies into superstars instead of playing with her? Is it envy instead of anger she’s feeling? No, that’s ridiculous. Ino isn’t jealous, she’s just a sore loser. _And there’s no way that Billboard Browed Bitch is gonna beat me!_

The referee blows the whistle and time out is over.

Konoha Academy subs out their middle blocker and brings in Karin, a real spitfire of a girl whose spikes are a tad unpredictable. It’s what they need to break the monotony they’re stuck in. The less comfortable Hokage High is, the less efficient their machine. Karin rears back to spike but then adjusts and slightly nudges the ball over the net. Mei dives and misses. The next time the ball comes Karin’s way Hokage’s libero moves up, and Karin sends the ball into the corner left open by the adjustment. That’s game point and Konoha Academy takes the first set.

The second set is just as tight as the first until the fatigue sets in on Konoha’s side. Each of the blocker’s movements is minutely slower and less precise and it’s all Sakura needs to turn the tide. Toss after toss she goes to the net, each time bringing the ball down with so much force Ino is worried her fingers may break of she blocks it wrong. Hokage has pulled away to respectable lead.

Then, Kyoki sets a ball too hard Sakura doesn’t have time to adjust her spike, the ball flies past her out of bounds.

“I’m sorry Haruno-san!” Kyoki wails apologetically.

“Don’t mind, don’t mind. We’ll get ‘em next time!”

It’s Konoha’s serve with the score reading 23-18, Hokage. As Karin heads back to serve, she’s subbed out and Hinata Hyuuga takes her place.

_Is their pinch server? _Sakura wonders. “Back row be ready!” she shouts over her shoulder.

“Let’s go Hyuuga!” Ino calls, encouraging her teammate.

Hinata surveys the opposite end of the court, her eyes scanning until-_there!_

She jumps up and sends the ball flying between Hokage’s libero and a second-year defender. It’s cuts between them like a knife.

“YEAH! NICE ACE!” Karin screams from the bench.

Sakura’s jaw nearly hits the floor. She had no idea the Hyuuga girl was capable of such precision with her serves. She shakes it off. “Don’t worry! Just keep your eye on the ball!”

Serve after serve is sent their way each hitting just beyond their defenders’ reach. Eventually their libero makes contact with a ball, but the hit is bad, and the ball goes flying out of bounds.

“TIMEOUT!” Hokage’s coach yells.

Sakura looks at the scoreboard, 24-23 Konoha. Somehow, the girl scored 6 points on them, and now it’s match point. _Damnit! We were doing so good! _

“Don’t get in your head, Sakura!” their coach says. “We’re not out of it yet. Remember, all we have to do is keep the ball in play!”

“Yeah!” the team responds in unison.

They head back out onto the court after the timeout. Hinata reels back to serve and sends it flying over the net. Mei connects with it perfectly and passes it to Kyoki who gets ready to set and-

“I’M OPEN!” Sakura yells. She’s already in the air by the time Ino starts running over to block her. Sakura swings her arm forward with as much force as she can muster. Her team has worked too hard for her to let them down. They’re the underdogs and this is their moment, they’re gonna win, they have to win.

_I _have_ to win._

Sakura’s hand connects with ball and she thinks it’s the best spike she’s ever hit, which is why it shocks her when Ino bats it down.

Sakura watches as Mei, Kyoki, and Sumire all dive for the ball and miss. The ball bounces on the slick hardwood floor a few times before it rolls away. Just like that, her time on the court has run out.

*** 

The atmosphere in the changing room is somber and Sakura doesn’t know what to say to her teammates. When she became captain of Hokage High’s Volleyball Club as a second year, she did it to help rebuild the team, not because she was a leader. She never wanted the attention that came with it, in fact she hated it. But with the role of Captain came the role of motivator and sometimes consoler.

Her teammates look at her expectantly.

She inhales.

“I came to Hokage High because they offered me a scholarship. I agreed to play volleyball here so I could attend one of the best schools in the country. I never expected us to be good. I never expected us to… I never expected us to grow so close, to come so far. I came to Hokage High looking for an education but I’m leaving with a family. A really weird extended family, but a family, nonetheless. All of you have become not just incredible players but incredible women. I am so thankful to have had the privilege to call you my teammates and I can’t wait to see what you all do next year. So, um, thank you.”

She bows toward her team.

“That was… SO MOVING, SAKURA-SENPAI!” Mei cries as she pounces on Sakura, hugging her tightly. “You truly are the best Captain!”

“Hey now,” their coach interrupts. “Let’s get changed, the bus will be here in 15 minutes!”

“Yes coach!”

*** 

“Hey, Forehead!”

Sakura is halfway down the steps leading away from the gym when Ino calls out to her. She turns around, her waist length pink hair flowing in the afternoon breeze, free from the normal constraints of its scrunchie.

“You um…did good, Sakura.” Ino says, looking at her feet. “Like, really good.”

“Oh, um, thanks Ino. You guys did too. I didn’t know Hinata could serve like that.”

“Yeah, she’s really come out of her shell since middle school…”

“Yeah…”

“But it was really fun playing against you again! I can’t wait till we play together in college!”

“College?” Sakura asks.

“Yeah, you’re going to Konoha State, right? I heard you got a volleyball scholarship. I did too! Full ride and everything!”

“Oh! I, uh. I did, but I turned it down.” Sakura rubs the back of her head, “I’m going to University of Konoha instead.”

“University of Konoha? But they don’t have a women’s volleyball team!”

Sakura shrugs, “I know. I got an academic scholarship. They have the best pre-med program around and if I do well, I can get into their accelerated med school program.”

For the first time in her life, Ino is speechless. She remembers sitting outside of the middle school gym with Sakura, both of them sticky and sweaty from practice, waiting for Sakura’s dad to pick them up. 

“_I can’t believe we’re going to different high schools, Sak.”_

_ “Yeah, but it’s only for a few years. Just until college, ya know?”_

_ “But what if we don’t go to the same university? What if this is the last time we play together?”_

_ Sakura looks over at Ino, her green eyes shining in the setting sunlight. “We’ll still be best friends, Ino. Friends forever, right?” She holds up her left wrist and jingles a silver bracelet, a single charm reading “Best” dances against her skin_

_Ino looks down at her wrist, where an identical bracelet with the word “Friends” sit. _

_“Teammates for life, Ino. I promise.” _

“Ino, are you alright?”

Ino looks at her, and then away, her cheeks flushing, “I just didn’t think this would be the last time. I thought we’d play again, together. Teammates for life, remember?”

“I. Ino, I,” Sakura stops and inhales deeply. She wants to be cool and mysterious and say some stupid profound shit because that’s what Ino would do. But Sakura is not cool and mysterious. She is warm and detrimentally direct. Instead, she drops her duffel bag and runs up the steps towards Ino.

“Sakura, what are you-” Ino’s words are cut off as Sakura hugs her so tight she knocks the wind out of her.

“We’re teammates for life, and don’t you ever doubt that, Pig!” Sakura buries her face into the crook of Ino’s neck and Ino realizes her friend is crying. Sakura pulls back, her face red and splotchy as tears roll down her cheeks. “You beat me fair and square out there. Now, you have to keep winning! Keep going until you’re the only one left, ok?!”

Ino nods, desperately trying to fight back her own tears. She can’t start crying too, that’d be pathetic. “I’ll-I’ll do my best!”

“And I’ll be cheering for you the entire way.” Sakura pulls Ino into another bone crushing hug before she bounds back down the stairs grabbing her duffel bag.

Without looking back she runs towards the parking lot to join her team for the last time.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is the first fic I've written in a while. Feedback is always appreciated. I'm also a v busy law student so updates may not be as frequent as I would like. I kindly ask for your patience. :) 
> 
> Any errors and typos are my own.


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